In the early 1900s when aviation was just being born, Raymonde De Laroche known as “The Lady Bird,” followed an other-worldly calling and defied gender norms to become the world’s first female pilot.
Raymonde De Laroche, an actress in early 1900s France, falls in love with aviation when she has a magical experience with a falcon at a Wright Brothers demonstration. She learns the basics of aviation with Charles Voisin and becomes the first woman to fly a plane. She competes in aviation meets and eventually becomes the first licensed female pilot. Raymonde unintentionally becomes a feminist and women’s rights activist while setting records and paving the way for future female aviators. She continues to see The Falcon flying with her, seemingly imbued with magical qualities. Friends, family, and the public ask: “Is aviation for women?” “What is she willing to sacrifice?” “Who is she really?” “What kind of mother is she?” These questions haunt her in the midst of tragedy and war, threatening to ground her, but she finds her place in the world - to be above it, searing through the sky.
Blue is a commercial and independent film director based in Los Angeles. She has directed commercials for major brands such as Walgreens, 7UP, Scotch-Brite, Meiomi Wine, Chipotle, Intelligentsia, LOEWE and more. Her talent shines in the work she’s done with organizations such as The Boys & Girls Clubs, GE Girls, Athletes Unlimited, XQ Institute, and a piece for Chicago Connected which was shared by President Barack Obama. Her short film Otis’ Dream, about voter suppression, was shared by Oprah as part of her Super Soul Sunday programming and gained attention from major media outlets. Her first feature film, an artist documentary called Dawn Dusk premiered at the American Documentary Film Festival and will be distributed publicly later this year. Blue was part of WIF’s mentorship program as a director’s circle mentee. She was also a finalist in the She Directed Female Filmmaker competition. Her work for Lincoln Park Community Services and XQ Institute have won Silver Tellys, and her film Otis’ Dream found success in the festival circuit, winning awards for best film at the I Will Tell Film Festival, the Los Angeles Movie Awards, and the March on Washington Film Festival. She has a knack for sensing motivations, drawing out real stories and emotions, making characters come to life. Off set, you can find her writing new stories, dabbling on guitar, in nature surfing or rock climbing, drinking a cocktail at Capri Club, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
